Glass severing apparatus



Sept. 5, 1950- s. M. DOCKERTY EIAL 2,521,352

GLASS SEVERING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1943 my mm m6 5 w n 0 v. H E. K a i M m A w J .701! h. Iran/s mvn Mum I? Wis/YER p 5, 1950 S. M. DOCKERTY EIAL 2,521,352

GLASS SEVERING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY (Ittorneg Sept. 5, 1950 s. M. DOCKERTY EI'AL cuss SEVERING APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 my w n h 7 Jrumw 170001507 .750 Mien/a n h U nome Patented Sept. 5, 1950 GLASS SEVERING APPARATUS Stuart M. Dockerty, Pawtucket, R. 1., David Gray and John W. Romig, Corning, N. Y., and William R. Wisner, Pawtucket, It. I., assignors to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 1, 1943, Serial N 0. 489,292

9 Claims. (01. 49 50 The present invention relates to glass cane and tube. severing equipment and particularly to equipment for receiving tubing as it comes from a forming machine and for disposing of the tubing or cane by. breaking it into lengths convenient for shipment and use by the trade. c In the past it has been the general practice to employ equipment carried back and forth alon the tubing or cane by the drawing apparatus to sever the tubing or cane into sections of a desired length. One form of severing equipment commonly employed is a moistened scoring tool which effects the severance by its combined scoring action and thermal shock to the tubing while still hot from the forming operation. 7

The foregoing and similar forms of severing equipment heretofore employed have lacked in facilities to readily modify the severed lengths as required to meet. different uses. Also the heretofore used methods of effecting fracture have been very inexact. For example, when severance is effected in the specific manner above described,only a minor portion of the tube surface is scored and, as there is no definitely established pattern for the initial break to follow, the break is usually irregular and often extends for some distance lengthwise of the tube before severance is fully effected. This necessitates arranging the equipment to break the tubing into greater lengths to produce desired tube sections of a desired minimum length than would be necessary if clean transverse breaks were made.

.The present invention embodies equipment for locally heating the tubing at desired spaced intervals along narrow circumferential paths where the same is to be severed and means for then effecting severance by thermal shock by passive engagement of the locally heated tubing portion.

with a relatively cold element for ample time to effect fracture. The equipment for locally heating the tubing is carried back and forth alon the tubing itself and includes facilities for very readily modifying the distance orfrequency of back and forth travel to vary the distance between locally heated .-areas in accordance with the lengths of tubing desired.

,In theaccompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of apreferred form of machine embodying the invention; l V Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with certain parts broken away;

Fig. 3. is an enlarged view of a fragment of the machine taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 and withcertain partsbroken away; a I 4 is a view taken online 4-4 of F g. 3 with parts shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Fig; 3 with certain parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is an end view of a fragment of the machine as seen when looking in the direction indicated by arrows E6 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 7 and -8 are plan and side elevationa views of a modified form of the invention;

Figs. 9 and 10 show structural details of the modified structure; 0

Fig. 11 is :a view takenon and V p Fig. 12 is a side elevational view ofa further form of the invention. v I

General descriptibn In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-6 the tubing or cane I I, for convenience hereinafterreferred to only as tubing, is heated at desired spaced intervals by a ring burner 3!] (Figs. 2, 3, and 5) which surrounds and moves with the tubing! I a predetermined distance during travel of the tubingtowards a delivery position, the distance of travel of the burner30 dewpending upon the-length of the sections desired. During the continued advance of the tubing, the burner-3B is quickly returned :to its initial starting point. In the meantime, the. locally heated portion of. the tubing travelsfunderan internally chilled iron 50 (Figs. 1, 2, and .6) which imparts the necessary thermal shock to the tubing to effect itsseverance. .As will be fully line u-u ofFig. 8;

brought out -later, the burner 30 is supported on a .carriage moved toward the delivery position by the tubing itself whenever a pair of chuck jaws 28 (Fig. 4) engage the tubing,- and the carriage is returned to its starting point by means ofa cable 3| (Figs. 1 and 2) wound about a pulley 32 by a turning force imparted-to the pulley 32 through a wheel 33 drivenby ;frio..- tional engagement of its rim with thetubing ll,

Detailedstructure Referringagain to Figs. 1-6 of the drawings, the severing equipment includes a frame l0 through which the tubing ll, issuing from .a continuous drawing machine, inpart shown in Fig. 12, passes over sheaves I6. and I! (Figs. 2 and 6) supported on axles I8 andl9. The frame Ill also supports a pair .of carriage rails l2 adapted to receive the supporting wheels l3 of a burner carriage comprising. axles l 4 wheels l3 andaxle bridging bars l5. Intermediate their-ends, bars l5 have attached thereto a roller race 2| -(Figs. 2, 3, and. .5) withinwhich are. confined three rollers 22 carriedby a -plate 23, (Figs. B and 4) of a tube chuck assembly. This assembly ineludes a pair of pneumatic units, each comprising a cylinder containing a pneumatically operable piston 25 attached to one end of a rod 2?. The other end of rod 21 carries a tube chuck jaw 28. A spring 29 normally holds the chuck jaw 28 from engagement with the tubing H which passes between jaws 2'8. Jaws 2 8 are brought into seizing relation with the tubing by supplying air to cylinders 25, as will be ruliv brought out hereinafter. The reason for sup porting chuck jaws 28 and plate 23 through rollers 22 and race 2| is that nrdinarily the tubing being drawn is turning :slowly about its axial center and accordingly the chuck jaws must be able to turn with the tubing to prevent tube breakage.

On the side of race 2| opposite that o-ccupied by the chuck assembly is the ring burner 33 arranged coaxial with tubing ll. As indicated by the arrow in Fig, 2, the tubing is traveling to the right and it will be evident therefore that by moving chuck jaws 28 into seizing relation with the tubing i the carriage move there with and burner -30 willremain in 2a fixed position relative to the tubing to heat it at a desired severing point during the travel of the burner with the tubing. Return :of the carriage assembly toi'ts .s-tarltmg point .is effected by means of cable 3| which winds about pulley 32 it is turned in :a counter-n-Ioelewise direction by the .r

drive wheel 33 while it rests on and is driven b y the tubing M. Wheel 3 3 is carried in a frame 34 pivoted at 35 and has a pneumatic unit 3% coupled thereto through .a depending portion 54 of frame 34 for turning the frame about pivot 35 as required to-raise wheel 33 out of driving relation with "the tubing H while the carriage is moving with the tubing. While the carriage is moving with the tubing ll wheel '33 is held clear of the tubing and accordingly is free to turn 'as the cable unwinds from the pulley 32.

The supply of operating air to chuck cylinders 25' and pneumatic unit 36 is through a control valve 1| which is arranged to feed air to the 'lower end of unit 36 via a pipe 39 and to cylinders 25 'via'pipe 40 and a flexible tube '42" upon actuation of a bleeder valve &2 and to feed *air to the upper end of "unit 36 via a pipe '48 and connect cylinders 25 "to atmosphere upon actuation of "a "bleeder valve 43. Valves 41, '42 and-43 "are of conventional "form, similar 'to valves disclosed in Goodrich Patent 2267236, granted Dec. 23,1941. Valve 41 comprises a cylinder having "a valving piston therein moved back and forth under control of bleeder'valves 42 and M connected to its opposite ends. Air is constantly supplied to the respective ends of the :cylinder from "the air supply .line via bleeder ports in its valving piston so that a balanced pressure exists at the cylinder ends so long as the connected bleeder valves remain -closedand,-.accordingly, the piston remains in. the position it has last moved. However, when such balance "ofpressure is destroye'dby the openingof one of the bleeder valves, the'p'iston'shifts to'the'en'd of 'thecylinder which has been bled and remains in "such position even after the bleeder 'valve is closed and a balanced pressure condition .re-establis'hed. The shifting er the piston to the "opposite end of the cylinder is similarly effected by actuation of the "bleeder valve connected with the opposite end of the control yalve. Bleeder valves 42 and '43 are slida'blyfixed to bars "44 secured tothe top'of frame llland'accordingly theirair supply lines 31 and 38 contain lengths of flexible tubing .31" and as to enable ready shifting of valves 42 and 43 as required to obtain severed sections or" tubing of a desired length. Operation of the bleeder valves 42 and 43 is by means of a cam 45 (Figs. 1, 2, and 5) mounted on straps 46 bridging two arched supports 41 spanning wheel axles l4.

Extending beyond the delivery end or frame It is the chilling iron or shoe 59 (Figs. 1, 2, and 6) which is carried on the free end of an arm 5! pivoted to frame H3. The chilling iron 50 simply rests by gravity on the tubing H and, when a locally heated tube portion passes under it, imparts the necessary thermal shock thereto to effiect severance. Shoe 58 is hollow throughout its length and has two connecting tubes 52 and 53 through which a suitable chilling fluid is circulated through the iron, thus giving it high heat absorbing capacity.

Operation In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the carriage assembly is shown just completing its return movement with control valve 4:! supplying air to the upper end or unit 36 so that wheel 33 is resting on tubing H and therefore functioning to pull the carriage to the left, while :cam :45 is {just starting to actuate bleeder valve 42. .As the movement is completed, bleeder valve 42 causes control valve 4! to shift and supply air to the lower end of unit 36 and to the .cylinders .25. Unit 36 accordingly raises the wheel 33 to stop the return drive of the carriage assembly while the chuck jaws 28 move into engagement with tubing H. The carriage assembly fls accordingly moved to the :right until its reversemovementis effected by cam 45 operating bleeder valve 43 which causes control valve 44 to change position which in turn causes wheel .33 to be lowered into engagement with tubing II and also :permits spring .29 to disengage chuck jaws .28. As already explained, the tubing is severed at the points heated as :it passes under iron :50.

Inthe formoff the invention illustrated in 7-102, chain 55 suspended :between "the left-end of frame H3 and the left end of carriage 15 by its own weight'prov-ides the energy :to return the acarriage to the left end of frame "ill-when chuck jaws .28 are released. Theairsupp'ly to c-huc'k cylinders 125 .is through valves 6 2, an air line-66, valve 63 and anair line 51. Valve 62 is opened by-a lever .65 adapted to be actuated jointly by a spring 62 and by tubing l'l :pa'ssing thereunder and effecting a lifting of the lever through its associated roller. Valve 63, and a similar valve 64 adapted to exhaust the cylinders 25 to atmosphere Via lines 61 and 6 1 are adapted to be opened alternately by a valve actuator Bl]. Actuator is operated by a carriage carried cam '51 at the final stage of leftward movement of the carriage to permit valve at to close and to open valve 63 at which time valve 62 is being "held open. The chuck jaws 28 are accordingly actuated to seize the tubing l I so that the carriage is moved to the right, as illustrated in the drawing. During the final portion .of movement to the right cam 56 engages and operates valve actuator 60 to permitthe'closure or valve .63 and to openexhaust valve '64. 'The'chuckjaws 28 accordingly become releasedirom engagement with the tubing H and the carriage is quickly moved to the left under the influence or c'haini55. In the meantime the heated section of tubing 'I.| passes under iron 50 which efiects fracture of the tubing which drops away from roller vcarried by lever permitting valve 62 to close. Move- -ment oflthe carriage tothe left is halted by its engagement of a spring loaded roller or stop 6! :just after cam 51 has passed under valve actuator 6|] to prepare for the next rightward movement of the carriage l5. Assoon as valve 62 is again actuated by the end of the tubing H passingv under the roller of lever 65 chuck cylinders 25 again receive air and accordingly jaws 28 again seize tubing l I to move the icarriage'torthe right.

I .As will be' observed, the support 58 for valve I 62 may be readily shifted to modify the distance .of valve 62 and its actuator lever 65 from frame the'left or right as desired and retightening the cap screw.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 12 the supply of operating air to chuck cylinders 25 is through a spring closed solenoid valve 15 and the connection of the chuck cylinders to atmosphere is through cam actuated exhaust valve :16. Valve'ili is arranged on the bars 44, which inFigs. 1 and 2 support similar valves, and is adapted to be held open by a cam 11 during the latter portion of the rightward travelof carriage 15. The solenoid valve 15 is operated by current {supplied through contact springs 18 actuated by a cam .19 adapted to hold the springs closed during one third of a cycle during which time valve 15 supplies air to chuck cylinders 25 to enable jaws '28 to seize the tubing l i and thus move the carriage l5 to the right. The drive of cam 19 is taken off the tube drawing drive mechanism 80 through a variable speed transmission 8|. As shown in the drawing the carriag I5 is moving to the right. Some time before cam 11 encounters and actuates exhaust valve 15 cam 19 permits springs 18 to open the circuit of solenoid valve I5, permitting this valve to close. Therefore when valve 16 is subsequently opened the cylinders 25 are exhausted to atmosphere thus permitting the carriage IE to move leftward under the influence of chain 55. The time of commencement of the movement of the carriage IE to the right depends upon the turning speed of cam 19. The lengths of the tubing being cut can accordingly be adjusted at will through the medium of the variable speed transmission 8! by the simple expedient of changing the turning speed of cam 19 relative to the tube drawing speed. On the other hand, since the cam 19 is driven off the tube drawing drive 80 the lengths of sections remain constant for a given variable speed transmission setting irrespective of the drawing speeds.

In order to guard against the chilling iron 50 swinging down into the path of on-coming tubing, should the same inadvertently be broken before passing under the iron, it is advisable to arrange a stop under the swinging arm 5|. This safety feature has been shown in Figs. 7 8, and 11 and comprises a bracket 82 attached to frame I and having an adjustable stop screw 83 for engagement by arm As will be appreciated, in all forms of the invention, the burner 30 heats a very narrow circumferential band of glass while traveling with the tubing thus assuring that when a thermal shock is imparted to the heated portion a clean break transverse of the tubing Will be made. Also the surface of iron 50 engaged by the tubing is 6. perfectly smooth and accordingly abrasive action which may be the cause of the initiation of breaks lengthwise of the tube is entirely avoided. Furthermore, owing to the substantial length of iron 50 compared to the very narrow heated band encountering it and the further usualturning movement, of thetubing about its own axial center while passing under iron 50, the application ofthe thermal shock occurs progressively along a portion of the length of the circumferential band and is thus continued for an ample period of time to assure severance occurring'before the band passes from under the iron. Although in the foregoing there have been shown'and described but a few of the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that further variation in details of construction and combination of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:

l. The combination with means for supporting continuously travelling glass tubing, of a track arranged parallel to the direction of travel of the tubing, a carriage on said track having a chuck for seizing said tubing whereby the'carriage travels therewith, means independent of the tubing for controlling the actuation of said chuck, means for disabling said'chuck, means for returning said'carriage to its initial position by driving power derived from said traveling tubing, and means associated with said carriage for locally heating said tubing in the vicinityof its point of seizure by said chuck while the carriage is trave ing with said tubing.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1; which includes a stationary chilling member positioned beyond .the point of disablementof the chuck and having a glass-engaging surface of substantial length for continuous contact with the tubing whereby a thermal shock is imparted to the tubing at its locally heated area to effect severance of the tubing.

3. Apparatus for severing continuously travelling glass tubing, including a ring burner surrounding the tubing, means for connecting the burner in fixed relation to the tubing whereby the burner circumferentially locally heats a narrow band of the tubing at the point at which it is to be severed, equipment for periodically actuating said connecting means, means to disable said connecting means, means energized during movement of the burner with the tubing to return the burner to its starting point between the periods of actuation of said connecting means, and a stationary chilling member positioned beyond the point of disablement of said connecting means and having a glass-engaging surface of substantial length for continuous passive contact with the tubing whereby the narrow heated band is chilled to effect severance of the tubing.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the equipment for actuating the connecting means includes a timing device for initiation of the actuation thereof.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the equipment for actuating the connecting means is under control of the travelling tubing.

6. Apparatus for severing continuously travelling glass tubing rotating about its own axis, comprising an annular heater through which the tubing passes, a support for said heater comprising a wheeled carriage, a track for said carriage arranged parallel to the direction of travel 7. :otithe tubing, a viievice associated with said' carriage for attaching it to the rotating travelling tubing so that the heater travels with nthetubing and loca'liy heats fit along a transverse line thereahoutgmeans to'periodically actuate said attaching device, means to disable :said attaching device, a second 'device' associated with said. .carriagevinto which-energy is stored during movement of the 'carriage With the tubing "for restora'tionof the carriage to :its initial position following clisablement of said attaching device, and a :stationary chilling member positioned beyond the point of disablementof said attaching device 'andhav-ing a glass-engaging surface of substantial :length with which the tubing .is :con-

.tinuously in passive contact whereby a thermal shockuisimparted to the :rotating tubing along arsubstantial portion of the heated line there- .a'houtkto eifect severance of the tubing.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, .in

which the means to disable the attaching device is actuated by the carriage 'upon its movement with the tubing- -for a -fpredetermined distance. 8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, .in which-the means to actuatethe attaching device includes a :unit under whose control said device is attached. to the tubing and mechanism for periodically actuating said unit.

9. In combination with means for continuously drawing glass tubing, an annular heater through which the tubing passes, means for attaching the heater to the tubing so that the heater travels with the tubing and locally heats it along a transverse Sline thereabout, means to periodically actuate said attaching means, said actuating means "being operably controlled by the tubedrawing means, means-associated with'sai'd actuating means to vary the periodicity of initiating actuation .of said attaching :me'ans, means-to disable said attaching means, :means energized during movement of the heater with the tubing for restoration of the heater to its initial position following clisahlement of said attachin means, and "a stationary chilling member positioned be 'yond. the point of disablement of said. attaching means and having a glass-engaging surface *of substantial length with which the tubing is continuously in passive contact whereby a "thermal "shock is imparted to the tubing along the heated line thereabout to elTect severance of the tubing.

STUART M. EDOCKERTY.'

DAVID E. GRAY.

JOHN W. ROMIG.

WILLIAM R. WISNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fiie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 979,740 Bolin Dec. 1910 1,220,201 'Danner Mar. 27, 1917 1,710,893 Rowley Apr. 30, 1929 1,744,045 Halbach Jan. 21, 1930 "1,765,814 Wright June 24, 1930 1,765,638 Howard June 24, 1930 1,973,546 'Spinasse Sept. 11, 1934 11390375 Hahn Feb. 5, 1935 2,215,980 'Schreiber Sept. 24, 1940 2,221,788 Doyle 'Nov. 19, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 265,161 Great Britain Apr, 28, 1927 685,758 France Apr. 7', 1930 

